US presses UN to investigate Iran's alleged transfer of drones to Russia

The US urged the UN to send a team of investigators Thursday to examine debris from what it said are Iranian-made drones sold to Russia to use against Ukraine in violation of a Security Council resolution.

“Over the last several weeks we have seen Russia repeatedly use these UAVs in attacks that have destroyed Ukrainian public works and killed civilians,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Council.

Thomas-Greenfield accused Moscow of working with Iran to produce Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Russia.

“Russia is receiving materials from Iran needed to build a UAV manufacturing plant inside Russia. This plant could be fully operational early next year,” she said. “If completed, the plant would dramatically enhance Russia’s capacity to attack Ukraine and enable Russia’s ongoing campaign to disable Ukraine’s power plants, close its rail lines, and prevent agricultural goods from transiting to world markets.”

“The UN Secretariat has an obligation to carry out its mandate to examine evidence of Iran's transfer of UAVs to Russia in violation of UNSCR 2231,” said Thomas Greenfield.

She urged the UN to update the Council on its assessment of Iranian-made UAVs recovered in Ukraine within the next 30 days.

“This is a matter of life or death for the Ukrainian people, and the nation of Ukraine as an economically viable state,” she added.

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia rejected accusations of its use of Iranian-made drones in Ukraine.

Ukraine has repeatedly reported Russian attacks on its cities using what it said are Iran's drones.

Iran also denied it is providing Russia with drones.